Tyson Foods New ‘Hollistic’ CEO: The Future of Food Might Be Meatless

Tyson Foods’ new CEO is on a mission to change people’s perception of the iconic brand-which has faced chicken abuse and price-fixing charges. Hayes says he is now pushing the 80-year-old meat processor towards sustainability, plant-based options and high-end tech farming.

The new CEO of one of the world’s largest meat processors, Tyson Foods Inc., sees plant-based protein as a big part of the food industry’s future.

“If you take a look at the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) stats, protein consumption is growing around the world—and it continues to grow. It’s not just hot in the U.S.; it’s hot everywhere, people want protein, so whether it’s animal-based protein or plant-based protein, they have an appetite for it. Plant-based protein is growing almost, at this point, a little faster than animal-based, so I think the migration may continue in that direction,” Tom Hayes, CEO of Tyson Foods Inc. (TSN) told FOX Business.

Today, the U.S. food giant, which got its start during The Great Depression, already owns a 5% stake in a plant-based protein start-up called Beyond Meat. The company also launched a venture capital fund worth $150 million to invest in startups that develop meat substitutes.

Hayes, who was named Tyson Foods president last June and took over as CEO after Donnie Smith stepped down in December, has already vowed to ditch the controversial use of antibiotics in a majority of the company’s poultry.

“We just got to the point last year where the consumer is demanding [the elimination of antibiotics in the food chain] and wants transparency. They want to have trust in the brands they buy …. [so] let’s push ourselves to go all the way,” Hayes told FOX Business.

Tyson made news earlier this week when a strain of bird flu was detected at one of its Tennessee contracted chicken farms.

“We’re addressing a form of avian influenza on a single contract chicken farm in Tennessee. It’s a bird health issue and not a food safety or human health concern. We’re responding aggressively, and are working with state and federal officials to contain the virus by euthanizing chickens located on the farm,” Tyson Foods Inc. told FOX Business in a statement.